Understanding Preeclampsia

What You Need to Know, Prevention Tips, and Why Blood Pressure Matters

If you’re pregnant or supporting someone who is, you’ve probably heard the word “preeclampsia”—but what does it really mean, and why is it so important to pay attention to it during and after pregnancy?

As The Pregnancy Nurse® (with over 20 years of labor and delivery experience!), this is a topic I’m really passionate about because preeclampsia is becoming more common, and it’s one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. I recently put out a full YouTube video breaking down everything I know about preeclampsia, and I also wrote a detailed article that goes even deeper, especially if you want the latest stats, numbers, and prevention tips. (You’ll find the link to the article below!)

Some of the key things I covered in the video:

• What is preeclampsia?
  It’s a multisystem organ dysfunction that only happens with a placenta—in other words, during pregnancy (and only in humans!).

• What causes it?
  We’re still learning! Advanced maternal age, having multiples, increased BMI, and gestational diabetes are some risk factors, but even young and healthy parents can get it.

• How do you know if you might have it?
  Providers check your blood pressure at every prenatal visit for a reason—high readings can be a first red flag. They’ll also check for protein in your urine, and there are other signs like disturbances in fetal kick counts, severe headaches, vision changes, and sudden swelling. If you want a reliable kick counts cheat sheet, I have one in the video description!

• Prevention: Should you take aspirin?
  Low-dose aspirin is now being recommended in many cases to reduce the risk of preeclampsia. But please, talk to your provider about this—guidelines are changing fast, and it’s not right for everyone.

• Treatment:
  Blood pressure meds can manage hypertension but don’t cure preeclampsia. The only lasting solution is delivering the placenta (sadly, the “problem child” here, not your sweet baby!). Magnesium sulfate is often given in the hospital to prevent seizures if you develop preeclampsia.

• Why postpartum vigilance matters:
  Preeclampsia can show up even after delivery (sometimes even if you didn’t have it during pregnancy!). If you get the worst headache of your life or major swelling after going home, tell the hospital staff you’ve just had a baby—emergency rooms are being trained to take this very seriously.

• How does it affect baby?
  The main concern is if organ function is compromised in the mom, which can affect the baby, or if an early delivery becomes necessary. Otherwise, preeclampsia doesn’t usually harm the baby directly.

For a much deeper dive (including the exact criteria, the process for labs, and what “HELLP syndrome” means), check out my full article on preeclampsia and make sure to watch or share my YouTube video if you know anyone who needs straightforward, trustworthy advice—there’s truly so much misinformation out there.

Read the Full Article: Preeclampsia: Everything You Need to Know
Watch on YouTube: Preeclampsia - Signs, Symptoms, and What to Do

P.S. If you want more support prepping for your birth or that critical postpartum time, I have a free class called “Postpartum Care Made Easy”—details are in the video. And if you’re loving these deep dives, please subscribe and stick around for more pregnancy education!